It is often useful to mount an accessory device, such as a lighting device, to a rail that may be secured to or integrated into a firearm such as a handgun. When the rail is disposed on a firearm, it is of utmost importance that the mounting apparatus, which interfaces the accessory device and the rail, be firmly clamped or otherwise firmly secured to the rail, while at the same time it is desirable that the accessory device be quickly and easily securable to and removable from the rail.
Conventional apparatuses for mounting of accessory devices are typically complicated and require large numbers of moving parts. For this reason, the accessory devices can be difficult to install and remove and can be prone to failure due to failure of one or more of the moving parts. This can be problematic, particularly in military or police operations in which failures or excessive time or energy to install or remove the device can be dangerous. Moreover, conventional apparatuses for mounting of accessory devices can be bulky and heavy and can therefore negatively affect the aiming of the firearm when mounted and can be difficult to install on small firearms such as handguns. It would therefore be desirable to provide improved systems and methods for mounting of accessory devices to a rail.